Charaters are still not mine.
Italics is a conversation between host and symbiote.
Happy St. Patricks Day!
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The acrid black smoke billowed out in clouds, choking the would be rescuers. Flames lashed out at the unprotected hands and faces of those trapped within the blazing inferno. Base personnel fought desperately to get control of the blaze but to no avail. They could hear the screams from those tapped inside but were powerless to save them. Suddenly another blast rocked the base, setting off alarms in another part of the building. Malek and Jacob ran from the fire in search of the second explosion. The scenes that meet them at the Tok'ra's quarters couldn't have been more different. This time there was no fire. Rubble and debris lay scattered among the sea of bodies. Live electrical wires hung threateningly from the ceiling and down the walls. A few cries of pain could be heard but for the most part everything was silent.
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Sg-1 sat at the briefing room table with a grave group of Tok'ra. Malek, Jacob, and Martouf were covered in ash and blood, but they didn't seem to notice.
"How many did we lose General?"
"Well the reports are still coming in from the infirmary but we have twenty confirmed dead. It seems that the explosives were placed where most of the base personnel congregate at the end of the day. Luckily, most of the base is on leave this week so the casualties were few. Unfortunately, the tok'ra weren't so lucky. There were fifteen tok'ra on the hallway when the explosion went off. Doctor Frasier was only able to save three of them."
Sam looked towards her father. Then back at the general. "Are all of the explosive accounted for sir?"
"Yes. We found ten of the sixteen missing explosives during our initial sweep of the base. The six that were missing were found in the debris."
Malek lost track of the conversation after that, because the next thing he knew everyone was leaving and the general was standing over him. Slowly, he rose to look the man in the face. He reached out and placed a hand on Malek's shoulder.
"For what it's worth Malek, I'm sorry."
It was all Malek could do just to nod. Then the man was gone.
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Word of Jalem's betrayal had spread like wildfire throughout the base. By nightfall everyone knew that he was responsible for the downfall of the tok'ra and the explosions that had taken the lives many more innocent people. No one felt any remorse at his untimely demise.
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The next day a small ceremony was held in the gateroom in remembrance of the lost Tok'ra. It was a somber affair. Everyone had taken Jalem's betrayal personally and every tok'ra present felt let down, the man had been a friend to many. For him to have been responsible for the deaths of their friends and loved ones was agonizing.
The ceremony itself was short; it honored the lives of the dead, but also served as closure with the knowledge of why they were gone. Malek and Jacob spoke a few parting words. The Tok'ra stood and stared at the gate, Aldwin activated it from the control room. After five minutes the gate was deactivated and the Tok'ra moved on. The past was gone and it would do no good to dwell on it any longer, it wouldn't bring their friends and loved ones back.
Malek watched his friends leave the room. He stayed for a while longer looking at the gate but not really seeing it. His mind was a thousand miles away. It was his host who breached the divide of space and time and finally brought him back to the here and now.
Malek we must go, the others have all gone. Besides Hanah is waiting for us
I know Cade. I was just thinking
Sad thoughts. Please don't stay lost in the past. We must think about our future now, about Hanah
Malek turned towards the door. Hanah stood watching him, her hair hung loose around her shoulders just like he liked it, and there was a question in her eyes. Malek shook his head as he approached her, place his arm around her shoulders and went off in search of Jacob. They walked in silence until Hanah couldn't stand it any longer.
"Are you alright Malek?"
"I'm fine, just thinking."
Then she said something funny and Malek laughed for the first time in days. It made him feel so much better. He looked at the women standing beside him now and knew that things were going to be ok. He could face anything with his mate by his side. Tomorrow could only be better.
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Martouf once again found himself in the commissary with Samantha sitting at a small corner table. A cup of coffee sat untouched before him. They had been sitting there since the memorial in the gateroom hours before, telling jokes and sharing stories that made them both laugh. Many people who passed their table looked enviously at the pair, probably wishing that they could join in on a joke. Martouf was happier than he had been in ages. He was stuck on earth with Samantha, the women of his dreams. If ever the system lords had done anything good for him this was it. He didn't know if he would ever leave this planet, or if he ever wanted too, with Samantha he felt as if he were home.
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Jacob watched his daughter from across the room. It was good that she had finally found someone she was happy with. He was happy for her; he only wished that it had come under better circumstances. The Tok'ra would be here a very long time he knew. The system lords had decimated their numbers with one fell swoop. The Goa'uld had won, at least for now. And for now the Tok'ra had to survive life with the Taur'i. He laughed; the next few weeks were going to be very interesting. If they didn't kill each other within a month, things would be ok for them. He heard Sam laughing again and decided to join them. Laughter was good, it was a sign that the Tok'ra's wounds were beginning to heal. They were gonna be alright, all of them.